A wise man once said, “Life’s too short to drive boring cars.” For car fanatics, this quote is accurate to the hilt. Not everybody can own a BMW or a Lamborghini.
So, people have a natural affinity for the closest substitute available at a considerably reduced price. Subaru, an automobile brand, is one of those reliable and unique brands. The brand operates in major countries globally.
But the real question is what made the brand so famous, and where are Subaru Cars Made? Well, we’ve got the answer.
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Where are Subaru Cars Made in 2023?
There are only 2 countries where Subaru manufactures its cars. Subaru’s 4 manufacturing facilities are in Japan, while one is in the United States.
Japan’s facilities are located in the cities of Ota. Lafayette, Indiana, is home to the US facility. Most of the manufacturing, however, is concentrated in Japan. The United States facility primarily caters to the North American market.
Apart from their manufacturing, Subaru also partners with various manufacturers from time to time.
2 Manufacturing Locations Where Subaru is Made:
Now let’s dive into the crucial aspect. Following is a detailed analysis of how where are Subarus manufactured.
1. Is Subaru Made in Japan?
The majority of Subaru cars are manufactured in Japan. Japan is the hometown of the Subaru Corporation. All Subaru factories lie in the city of Ota. There are a total of four factories in Subaru in Japan.
Honkojo is the company’s main plant. This plant in Gunma is home to a significant number of Subarus.
Currently, Subaru’s Yajima plant assembles most of the Subaru cars. The company’s number one selling compact SUV, the Subaru Forester, gets manufactured here.
Engines for Subarus are produced at the Oizumi plant located in Oizumi. Transmissions are also manufactured in the Oizumi plant.
The company uses the Otakita plant to produce commercial Kei trucks. The company also owns a test and development center near the Kitamoto plant.
The company exports Subarus made in Japan to different countries around the world. The company continues to expand its operations in Japan and has established its headquarters here.
List of Subaru Cars made in Japan:
Most of the Subarus are made in Japanese plants. Here is a list of popular Subaru Vehicles made in Japan.
- Subaru Impreza
- Subaru Forester
- Subaru Outback.
- Subaru Crosstrek
- Subaru Legacy
- Subaru BRZ
- Subaru WRX
Similar Blog: Is Mazda Made in Japan?
2. Is Subaru Made in America?
Outside Japan, the United States is the only place where Subaru cars are manufactured. Subaru first entered the North American market in 1968. The brand quickly gained a good reputation and managed to attract many customers.
Considering the high demand for Subaru cars in the country, the management decided to open a manufacturing plant within the country. Construction started in Lafayette, Indiana, the place chosen for Subaru’s new plant.
The plant began production in 1989. Subaru, incorporated as Subaru Indiana Automotive in the United States, manufactures all Subaru cars in the USA.
Initially, Subaru Corporation and Isuzu Motors Ltd partnered up to launch the firm. Later on, in 2003, Subaru purchased the remaining interest of Isuzu and became the sole owner of the plant, renaming it Subaru Indiana Automotive.
Subaru Legacy Sedan, the first Subaru manufactured in North America, became a massive hit. The firm decided to expand the Lafayette facility in 2014. Subaru invested US$400 million in the Indiana plant to increase the plant’s car production capacity.
Subaru completed the whole renovation in 2017. The production of Impreza in the US plant followed this expansion. More than 6000 workers work at this plant to manufacture Subaru cars.
The company achieved another milestone in 2019. In 2019, Subaru produced its four millionth vehicle in Indiana. It was an Ice Silver 2019 Outback SUV.
Subaru Indiana Automotive has increased its production from 67,000 vehicles per annum to 370,000 cars per annum over three decades.
The recent expansion has helped the company increase its global production capacity to over 1 million annually. In 2020, news broke out that Subaru plans to further expand Lafayette’s facility with an investment of US$158 million.
This investment will add a new transmission assembly shop and a new service parts facility in the Indiana facility.
List of Subaru Vehicles Made in the USA:
Some famous Subaru cars made in America are:
- Subaru Ascent
- Subaru Legacy
- Subaru Outback
- Subaru Impreza.
The company also made some cars in the past here, which are no longer manufactured here.
- Subaru Baja
- Subaru Tribeca
Who Makes Subaru? Is Subaru a Japanese Company?
A big Yes! Fuji Heavy Industries, which specialized in making Aircraft for Japan during the Second World War, was the company behind Subaru. Until 2016, the parent company retained its name Fuji Heavy Industries.
In 2017, the company changed its name to Subaru Corporation. Subaru is headquartered in Ebisu, Tokyo.
The company Subaru Corporation came into existence 68 years ago, in 1953. The company has partnered with well-known organizations such as Nissan, Toyota, and General Motors.
The firm manufactures aircraft, garbage trucks, and industrial engines, apart from domestic and commercial cars.
In 1954, Subaru unveiled its first car to the public. The car was Subaru 1500, and only 21 units of Subaru 1500 were manufactured then.
Subaru also experimented with new cars launching Subaru 360, Subaru Sambar, and Subaru 1000. The company started moving to the international market due to its success in the Japanese market.
The company introduced Subaru cars in Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Asian countries.
Apart from domestic cars, Subaru also launches some Sportscar versions. One of the most notable of them is Impreza WRC. Subaru has been a part of many competitions and won some international contests.
The business also checks the environmental aspect of its manufacturing, which is great! In fact, Subaru’s Lafayette plant is the first-ever auto-manufacturing plant to gain zero-landfill status.
Subaru Corporation mainly uses recyclable materials to reduce wastage and thus plays a role in maintaining the ecosystem.
Joint Venture of Subaru Corporation:
Over the past few decades, Subaru has partnered up with many organizations such as Toyota, Suzuki, Isuzu, and Daihatsu.
Apart from manufacturing, many cars were also produced in joint collaboration with these companies.
Some of them were later rebadged with other names. These include Subaru Stella, Pleo Plus, Pleo, Trezia, Lucra, Dias Wagon, Dex, Justy, Bighorn, and many more.
Are Subarus Reliable?
Subaru is a Japanese car manufacturer that has been around for decades and is a brand you can trust to deliver quality products. If you are looking for a dependable car that will deliver good performance, you should consider buying a Subaru.
As per a recent Consumer Reports analysis, Subaru Cars are ranked in 7th place in the US. The analysis is based on the reliability of cars.
Depending upon the stiff competition in the market, it is not a bad place to be. Also, the brand has got good retention of buyers.
Our expert team has also tested the Subaru Crosstrek, and it has been rated 8 out of 10. The analysis included road tests, handling tests, and performance tests. The Subaru Crosstrek scored highly in all of them.
It has good build quality, and it comes with many advanced features. No wonder why it is a hot-selling vehicle for Subaru in the US.
To conclude, Subaru is a brand you can trust. They are well worth the investment.
Final Verdict: Where are Subaru Cars Made?
Although Subaru is not as famous as Hyundai and Toyota, the brand has certainly got people’s attention. Comfort and reliability in affordability are what makes Subaru distinct.
Frankly speaking, it does not matter; where are Subaru Cars Made? Subaru does not compromise quality in any aspect; therefore, it is worth checking out if you want to buy a reliable vehicle.
Considering the global demand, the company might open new manufacturing locations in other countries. Expansion of the Indiana plant is part of the company’s vision to increase its footstep in the United States. That’s all for today!
Anaya Shah is a seasoned consumer product analyst with over 8 years of experience in the retail and e-commerce industries. She holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing from a top-tier university. Anaya has a keen eye for detail and a passion for uncovering the true value of products, helping consumers make informed decisions. At BrandCritica.com, she brings her expertise in product evaluation, brand analysis, and market trends to deliver trustworthy and insightful content. Connect with Anaya on Instagram for the latest updates and reviews.